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During trials scheduled to last 6 months, the two boats and a full Swedish boat squadron were embarked on, and deployed from, a Dutch Navy LPD as a fully integrated element of the amphibious forces (6) aboard.

On the 9th of May, 2011, the Royal Navy subsequently announced (7):

1 Assault Group Royal Marines (1AGRM) has taken possession of two Combat Boat 90s being loaned by the Swedish Armed Forces; the UK is to receive four craft in total.

As part of the loan and exchange programme, the Swedes are taking on two of the UK’s Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC).

The Combat Boat 90 (CB90) is a class of fast military assault craft originally developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet with an official designation of Strb 90 H (Stridsbåt 1990Halv pluton, literally: Combat Boat 1990 Half platoon); the H refers to the fact that it can carry and deploy a half platoon of amphibious infantry (21 men) fully equipped.

In addition to the many variants in service with the Swedish Navy under the Strb 90 H designation, the CB90 has been adopted by the navies of several countries, including Norway (as the SB90N), Greece, Mexico (as the CB90 HMN), and Malaysia. Also the German Navy plans to equip the Berlin-class replenishment ships with the CB90.

The CB90 is an exceptionally fast and agile boat. Its light weight, shallow draught, and twin water jets allow it to operate at speeds of up to 40 knots (74 km/h) in shallow coastal waters. The water jets are partially ducted, which, along with underwater control surfaces similar to a submarine's diving planes, allows the CB90 to execute extremely sharp turns at high speed, decelerate from top speed to a full stop in 2.5 boat lengths, and adjust its pitch and roll angle while under way.

Also in 2004, the Royal Norwegian Navy conducted tests (including a live fire exercise) to evaluate the effectiveness of their SB90N version as an aiming and launching platform for the Hellfire missile. One SB90N was equipped with stabilized Hellfire launcher based on the PROTECTOR M151, and its machine gun was replaced with a gimbal-mounted sensor package containing visible-light and infrared cameras and a laser designator.

Although the tests were successful, there is currently no indication that the Royal Norwegian Navy will actually deploy SB90Ns armed with Hellfire missiles in regular service. The Hellfire can still be carried on the boats without launching platforms and be fired from shore with the Portable Ground Launch System.

The German Water Police (the Wasserschutzpolizei WSP - literally translated "Water Protection Police") rented a Combat Boat 90H from the manufacturer Dockstavarvet for the 33rd G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany (6 June to 8 June 2007). This boat was involved in a high speed chase with three Greenpeace RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) which were trying to enter the restricted area near the Kempinski Grand Hotel where the meeting was being held. A video clip of the incident was later widely spread around the internet and can also be seen on a Der Spiegel webpage.

In July 2007 The United States Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) specified the CB90 for testing as its Riverine Command Boat. Safeboat International of Port Orchard, Washington, was given a 2.8 million US dollar contract to produce one prototype.

On August 1st, 2007, the US Navy Times reported (9):

If the Stryker armored combat vehicle were a boat, it might be the CB90, a Swedish-designed shallow-water vessel that’s fast, lethal and flexible enough to be an ambulance or a fast-attack craft.

The United States Navy has decided to buy two of the boats, now known in certain Navy circles as the Riverine Command Boat (RCB), for use by the newest incarnation of the brown-water navy, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command’s riverine group.

Already in use with navies around the world, the CB90 originally was a product of the Swedish boatmaker Dockstavarvet. SAFE Boats International, based in Washington state, bought the licenses required to build the same boat for the US Navy. (Abridged)

In June 2009 an unknown buyer from Abu Dhabi bought two civilian luxury versions.

NECC sailors deploy and operate around the globe, building partnerships and helping to increase partner navies’ capacity and capability to promote peace and prevent war.

Sailors assigned to Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1 use a riverine patrol boat, left, and a riverine command boat to perform a live boat demonstration for Colombia Chief of Navy, Admiral Alvaro Echandia Duran, during his visit to Navy Expeditionary Combat Command on August 18th, 2011.

(1) Royal Marines: The Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade is the Royal Navy's amphibious infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a core component of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Together the Royal Navy's amphibious ships and the Brigade represent a highly mobile, self-sustained and versatile organisation, with a strategic power projection capability that is unique among the British armed services. The Royal Marines are the cold weather experts of the Services.

(2) Netherlands Marine Corps: The Korps Mariniers is the marine corps and amphibious infantry component of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines are trained to operate anywhere in the world in all environments, under any condition and circumstance, as a rapid reaction force. The Korps Mariniers can be deployed to a given location within 48 hours. Their motto is Qua Patet Orbis ("As Far As The World Extends").

(4) The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy) is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In recent times the Royal Netherlands Navy takes part in expeditionary peacekeeping and peace enforcing operations (Maritime Expeditionary Capability). Royal Netherlands Navy website.

(5) The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service. From the end of the 17th century until well into the 20th century it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power. Royal Navy website.

(6) Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain. In this modern era amphibious warfare persists in the form of commando insertion by fast patrol boats, zodiacs and mini-submersibles.